Herald fall 2013

FALL 2013 VOL. 54, ISSUE 2

2013-2014 ANNUAL FUND APPEAL

see page 22

A Time to Celebrate Eastern Christian Graduations 2013

r at e !

A Ti m e t o C e l e b

ol’s Eastern Christian Scho of d en e th es rat leb ce ld his issue of The Hera community of ren of the Christian ild ch e th to ice rv th se r 121st 120 year of ly, the beginning of ou nt rta po im e or m d, an r students back Northern New Jersey x, we are welcoming ou bo ail m ur yo in ng ivi year! As this issue is arr ry first time. to our school for the ve e, m so for or, s m oo of sti mul at ing to their classr ge to th is ne w ye ar pa e th rn tu ely et pl e of the Be fore we com to share with you som ty ni rtu po op is th e nt to tak opportunities, we wa l year just ended. d’s highlights of the schoo to another year of Go te as we bear witness ra leb ce to h ns uc tio m ua so ad e gr We have In this issue we celebrat ol. ho Sc n tia ris Ch rn year. We faithfulness to Easte sted to us for the last tru en re we o wh s nt e stude by our students and promotions of th athletic achievements d an , tic tis ar ic, em ad ts of our celebrate numerous ac We celebrate the effor . low fol at th s ge pa e in th em in the service which are documented m the world around th for ns tra to ll ca e th to ojects students to respond ion trips and service pr iss m in on ati cip rti pa h their for the faithful of the Kingdom throug rate and give thanks leb ce e W . rld wo e th of Eastern at home and around to sustain the mission es inu nt co at th y nit commu support of our school o note a Christian School. stern Christian, we als Ea of e lif e th in s on iti As we note many trans lleague, Tim Steen, Our editor and dear co n. tio ca bli pu is th of service in transition in the life ng a two year term of ni gin be are ily fam s and skill as our this issue. Tim and hi ll miss Tim’s dedication with the completion of wi e n W tia y. ris em Ch ad rn Ac ste e Ea ac eir lives. n of Pe is departing exciting new phase in th ld Missions at the Have is or th W gin ed be m ey for th Re as n ren tia the spirit, and Tanzania with Chris phanie, and their child g the mind, nurturing ngs on Tim, his wife Ste gin ssi ga ble en h of ric ar d’s ye Go r he for ot ay editor. We pr ld as we mark an this issue of The He ra We hope that you enjoy ! transforming the world

T

e (’76) Thomas G. Dykhous Head of School Executive Director &

Contents 2-11 HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT ................................. 12-15 MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADUATION .................................. 16-17 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROMOTION ............................ 18 PRE SCHOOL GRADUATION ......................................... 19 PHOTOS FROM GRADUATIONS .................................... 20-21 FOUNDATION NEWS .................................................. 22-24 EVENTS ................................................................... 25-27 ALUMNI NEWS ......................................................... 28-30 DE SIGNATED GIFTS ................................................... 31-32 EC SPORTS ............................................................... 42-45 C AMPUS NEWS .........................................................

Herald The

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VOLUME 54 ISSUE 2 EDITOR

Tim Steen FO U N DAT I O N E X EC U T I V E DIRECTOR

Garret G. Nieuwenhuis ’58 PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Justin Van Dyke ’07 A L U M N I C O O R D I N ATO R

Beth Youngsman Milkamp ’75 DE SIGN & L AYOUT

David Luyendyk ’91 Yellow House Graphic Design www.yellowhousedesign.com

DON’T MISS THE 2013-2014

PRINTER

Len Wynbeek, Jr. ’84 Action Graphics EASTERN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL A S S O C I AT I O N

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50 Oakwood Ave. North Haledon, NJ 07508 Phone: 973-427-9294 Email: herald@easternchristian.org www.easternchristian.org

in the center of this issue!

High School Graduation Photos, Senior Awards, and College Acceptances on pages 12 - 15

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High School Graduates react to Commencement Speaker Ben Kuiken.

Students include: (top) Sarah Bruinooge, Justin Struyk, Michelle Van Dyke, (middle) Kyali Shattuck, Kaylin Ramos, Kailey Kuipers, Kate Skrobola (bottom) Sora Min, Daniel Gorter, and Gabriella Silverstein.

The Herald is the magazine for alumni, parents, and friends of Eastern Christian School published twice a year. It is a publication of the Eastern Christian School Association's Foundation Board. Letters, articles, artwork and photography are welcome for possible inclusion in The Herald. Art and photos will be returned when a SASE is included. Send all correspondence regarding feedback and publication to the address above. E-mail is welcomed and encouraged.

Eastern Christian School is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges & Schools and is a member of Christian Schools International.

Executive Director / Head of School Director of Curriculum and Instruction Elementary School Principal Middle School Principal High School Principal

Thomas G. Dykhouse Richard Van Yperen Sandra Bottge Andrew Culp Joel Uecker

CAMPUS NEWS

Carly Veenstra

“Athlete of the Year” — Two Years in a Row!

BY TIM STE E N

S

enior Carly Veenstra was named 2013 Passaic County Coaches Association Female Athlete of the Year, the second year in a row that an Eastern Christian athlete has won the award after Kristen Traub won last year.

“It’s a huge honor," Carly said. "I thought it was so cool to even be represented this year after Kristen was the winner last year."

A three-sport athlete, Carly has scored 101 goals in soccer, collected 101 hits in softball, and scored 1,495 point in basketball.

In an interview with the Bergen Record, Carly said her favorite moment at Eastern Christian came on the basketball court during her freshman year, when the Eagles beat now-closed Paterson Catholic in the last game of the season series. It was an upset Carly always will remember.

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"We had played them four times that year and we lost the first three times, but the fourth time we finally beat them," Carly said. "It was the last time our school was ever going to face them.”

Of course, Kristen Traub was a teammate for that game. Kristen was named the 2012 Passaic County Athlete of the Year for her career in cross country, track, and basketball. Kristen won 66 races in track and cross country during her high school career, including eight County championships and seven State titles.

In her acceptance speech, Kristen said that her coaches, and her Eastern Christian education, were instrumental to her career. “Eastern Christian gave me the opportunity to be the woman who I am today,” she said.

Carly is heading to Calvin College, while Kristen is attending Marist College.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Alicea Earns Congressional Award

BY TIM STE E N

J

unior Seth Alicea was awarded the Congressional Award Bronze Medal

by Congressman Bill Pascrell on June 17. Seth met with Congressman Pascrell in his Paterson office and spoke with him for a few minutes.

In order to qualify for the award, Seth has achieved 174 volunteer hours, 114 hours of personal development, 286 hours of physical fitness and one overnight expedition.

Seth's overnight expedition raised awareness of homelessness by living in a cardboard box for 24 hours outside of his church, Calvary Temple. The night of April 13 got down to 25 degrees, and Seth had only one blanket. His supplies were all provided by a local food pantry.

Seth said, “I was humbled by the experience, and I was glad to be able to experience what normal people that are in a bad situation go through.�

Seth said he was inspired by a friend who earned a Gold Medal from Congress, and that is his goal. It requires 400 hours of volunteerism, 200 hours of personal development, 200 hours of physical fitness and a 96-hour expedition.

Seth said he is looking for a way to not only earn the gold medal, but to make a lasting impact on his community. He is hoping his next project to help the homeless can attract more people to participate with him.

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Seth Alicea with Congressmen Bill Pascel F A L L

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CAMPUS NEWS

EC Studies Security

BY DICK VAN YPE R E N

U

ndoubtedly, the events on December 14, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School prompted an outpouring of intercession for the families of Newtown, Connecticut, as well as a renewed focus on school security nationwide.

Even before that day, facility security has been a high priority on all three Eastern Christian campuses. At the beginning of each school year, administrators review our written guidelines for conducting regular fire, lockdown and evacuation drills, school office personnel are trained to grant access only through visual ID before electronically releasing the main entrance door, and all alarm systems in school buildings are inspected and tested.

However, the events of that day reinforced our awareness of the tremendous responsibility and commitment we have to provide a safe and secure environment for our students. Recently, we have: • Granted access to the Midland Park Police Department to do daily walk throughs of our elementary campus,

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• Partnered with the local police and fire departments in conducting drills on each campus, • Attended Crisis Response training provided by Bergen County Police, • Conducted a comprehensive security audit led by an independent security expert, • And conducted a two-day multi-hazard seminar utilizing Homeland Security curriculum and led by representatives from local and county Office of Emergency Management services as well as specialists from the State Police.

On the other hand, just as we diligently work on emergency preparedness, we are also keenly aware of the importance of our practice of beginning every school day in prayer with our students understanding that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

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CAMPUS NEWS

Making History with Award

BY BECKY WI EGE RS, S E N IO R

J

unior Grace Valentin recently won the New Jersey state award in the National History Day competition.

The National History Day Contest involves students around the country who create a project based on a theme. This years' theme was “Turning Points." Students do extensive research for their topic and can submit their research in the form of an essay, exhibit, performance, documentary or website. EC's junior Humanities class is required to write essays for the contest.

This year there were nine students whose essays were selected for the State competition. Grace was the only one to win the State award and get all the way to the National level.

Grace's essay was on photography as a turning point in the Civil War. "I picked this topic because I have a personal interest in photography and I wanted to connect my interest to the assignment," Grace said.

Junior Humanities teacher Jane Okma was very proud of her class,

and especially excited about Grace moving on to the national level.

Mrs. Okma said, "I am SO excited. Grace worked very hard on this paper and learned so much; not just about the photography of the Civil War, but Grace Valentin about how to do scholarly research."

Grace said, "It took a lot of work and several long editing processes before it was ready for the State competition. There was tough competition, so I was so surprised and happy that my essay was picked.” Only one other winner was selected in the entire state.

Music Video Wins Festival

BY DAN I E LLE MARDI N I, J U N IO R

E

astern Christian High School won the Passaic County Film Festival 2013 in the music video category with "Ni Hao-Hey!" That victory has continued to open new doors for EC in Passaic County.

The video is a fun, light-hearted mural project celebrating Chinese culture in our community. It features Eastern Christian students celebrating diversity through music and art.

The film festival was held on April 20 in the Fabian 8 Cinema in Paterson. The festival had 89 entries this year, the most in its nine year history.

Art teacher Debra Aceino said, “This is our 3rd year submitting a video for the film festival. One year we won an honorable mention, one year we won second place, and this year we won first place. We are very honored to receive this award and it has been a wonderful opportunity to be able to put forth a very positive statement to the community. We are hoping to spark further interest in film and also submit videos in different categories in the future.”

Sora Min, a senior who was involved in the painting of the mural said, “I was shocked how well the video turned out. This award celebrates not just one person but all the students and people involved in this project. I think it’s really great.”

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Bryan Sie, Corey Abma, Aaron De Rosa, Donna Aceino and Stephanie Avila

This Film Festival was sponsored by the County Freeholders. One of the Freeholders, John Bartlett, invited Eastern Christian to participate in the Freeholders' Commemoration of the Asian Pacific American Heritage month on May 28.

Mr. Bartlett presented "Ni Hao-Hey!" as part of his focus on different Asian groups living in Passaic County. Freshman Aaron De Rosa and senior Katelin Kim introduced the art video at the meeting.

"It was a very unique experience," Katelin said. "It was nice to share our video with more people and see all the various the aspects of Asian culture."

Art teacher Jesse Wright said, “It’s truly been a blessing to be able to have students participate and make a video in a positive light.” The project itself took many months to put together and turned out to be a huge success.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Kasi Howes with her family

Art Students Win Governor's Award

BY LU IS ROM E RO ’13

T

hree Eastern Christian art students, sophomore Christiana Mooers, senior Kasandra Howes, and junior Valentina Suizzo, were awarded the Governor’s Award in Arts Education this spring.

Christiana won the New Jersey Student Arts Excellence Awards in Photography. Kasandra won the New Jersey Student Arts Excellence Awards in Theater (Acting), and Val won the New Jersey Excellence Awards in Commercial Art. Christiana said she brought five of her best photos with her on the day of the competition. The judges analyzed this presented work and also tested her photo-taking skills. Christiana was judged on photography skills on

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the spot. “They put me in a room with judges and they told me that I had 15 minutes to take the best 25 pictures I could take,” she said.

Val had a similar experience in the art competition. “We had to bring in several art pieces beforehand,” Val said. “They asked us questions on our previous art work,” Then, she and two other competitors were asked to paint a still-life of fruit using pastels.

Kasi prepared a monologue for the acting competition. “I did my monologue, and to my surprise they then asked me to sing,” she said. She sang “Couldn't Be Happier” from the musical Wicked.

All three students were nominated by Eastern Christian art teachers.

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CAMPUS NEWS

The Honors Choir

Wicked Oppportunity

BY E M I LY THOMAS, S E N IO R

O

n May 1 the High School Honors Choir took a field trip to New York City to not only see the Broadway phenomenon, Wicked, but to also participate in the Wicked Choral Workshop, where students had the opportunity to learn from the actual Broadway actors.

The trip was led by choir director Suzanne Kraai and pianist Sharon Van Der Heide.

At the workshop, the Honors Choir, along with about 250 other people from different high school vocal groups, worked with six Broadway professionals who are part of the cast of Wicked. The Honors Choir learned P A G E

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the song “One Short Day” from the musical as well as some of the choreography. The two actors who play the characters Elphaba and Glinda sang a song for them.

“The whole show was great. The new Elphaba actress was amazing — she brought a lot of life to the character,” senior Skyler Van Valkenburg said.

“I think we’re blessed to live in an area like this, with New York City so close, to have all the opportunities it offers,” Mrs. Kraai said, “Overall it was definitely an amazing and unique experience.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

Field Day For EC Athletes

BY M ICH E LLE S I LVE STR I, J U N IO R

O

n April 30, 24 student athletes from grades 3-8 participated in the Field Day Competition held by the Northern New Jersey Christian School Association. There were two boys and two girls from each grade level who participated in events such as the 50 and 100 yard dash, 4x100 relay, softball throw, long jump, shuttle run and soccer kick with obstacles.

Marc Spoelstra, the middle school physical education teacher, chose the ECMS athletes. When asked how he did so, Mr. Spoelstra said he decided by looking at the students’ personalities and character. He picked who he thought would represent the school well and who had good Christian character.

EC’s strongest event was the relays, winning each one. Overall, EC won both the Grade 3-5 division and the 6-8 division.

Ben Maura, a 6th grader who ran in the races said, “Eastern Christian was on a roll. There was a little struggle, but we pulled through and ended up placing first.”

Every EC student placed in at least one event and all returned to school with at least one ribbon.

top: James Curreri and Emma Bushman bottom: Edythe Cummins, Sophia Bucci, Madison Libby, Spencer Langelaar, Jack Veenema, and John Skead

Eighth grader Erin Vander Plaat, who went to the competition the year before, said that they all definitely improved.

Alyssa Botbyl, also in 8th grade, said, “It was a good, competitive challenge. It was a fun time to test your skills as a school, too.”

Scoring Big in Math Bee

BY ALYSSA VE E NSTRA, S E N IO R

O

n April 23, students in grades 3 through 8 participated in the Northern New Jersey Christian School Association (NNJCSA) math competition. EC students placed in many categories as individuals and as teams.

The test was made up of 25 computation questions and 10 word problem questions.

Seventh and 8th grade EC math teacher Cynthia Flim said, “There were two students from each grade. Both teams, grades 3-5 and 6-8, were third overall.”

The EC 3-5 grade team completed the “Relay problem” on the first attempt, and were the first team to get the correct answer.

Fifth grader Tobi Cummins achieved third overall in her grade division, and 4th grader Michael Steiginga came in third overall in his grade.

Eighth grader Joe DeJong said, “I came in second in the 8th grade individual competition. The competition was not very hard.”

Eighth grader Kyle Streelman also competed. He said that it was not a hard test, because it was easy to remember all the concepts that they had

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top: Kyle Streelman, Joe DeJong, Iren Choi, James Robinson, Andrew Olsen, and Jaclyn Vincenti; bottom: Tshahi Mombrun, Michael Steiginga, Nicole Pienaar, David DeVries, Tobi Cummins, and Marissa Foley

learned in math class prior to the test.

Congratulations to all the students who were involved in this year’s Math-A-Thon.

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CAMPUS NEWS

The Uganda Mission Team

Popular Spring Break Destination: Missions

BY J USTI N STRUYK ’13

O

ver spring break (March 23 - 31), the High School sent out three missions teams to three different locations: Uganda, Puerto Rico, and Boston. In the past, teams have been sent out to Uganda and Boston, but this was the first time a trip was sent out to Puerto Rico.

Teachers Tim Steen and Christine Porochniak led the group of 10 students into Uganda. Part of their time in Uganda was spent rebuilding a hut for a family that had lost their home in a fire. They also helped to build a missionary’s house and ran three Bible schools at local schools.

“It was neat to see the work God has already done, and it was a privilege to be able to continue it. The people were so welcoming, and they are so grateful for the things they have,” said senior Jessica Schultz, a member of the Uganda team.

The Puerto Rico team of 25 students was led by Jesse Wright, Tina Bucci, Jesse Struck, Sherri Faber, and Ben Kuiken.

While in Puerto Rico, the students and their leaders painted the exterior of the missionary’s house, signs for the summer camp and a

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wooden structure surrounding the camp's fire pit. They also participated in the planning and running of a soccer clinic for the local kids.

Puerto Rico team member Angela Varney said, “Our team experienced the pure beauty and power of God as we stood on a lava rock overlooking the ocean. I think everyone on our team will agree that it was the turning point of the trip. It brought us so much closer together as a team through prayer.”

The Boston team consisted of eight students who served alongside their leaders Joel Apol and Touch the World employee Chantelle Haggerty.

During their stay in Boston, the team took part in different construction projects, and some of the students painted a mural. According to team member Julie Van Buiten, their afternoons throughout the week were full of outreach efforts.

“Our team was absolutely amazing. Street ministry is something that can be extremely difficult. I am proud of each and every one of the students,” said Mr. Apol.

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CAMPUS NEWS

M Cubed Band Performs in Festival

Sixth Graders Transform School Lot

BY K AYLA VAN LE NTE N, S E N IO R

BY LIAM WE STRA, S E N IO R

M

Cubed is a band made up by EC freshmen Matt Reif, Matt Bottge, and Michael Vriesema. They were chosen to represent Passaic County in the 2013 New Jersey Shout Down Drugs Music Festival on May 23.

Matt Rief plays guitar and sings for M3. Matt Bottge plays bass, and Michael Vriesema is on the drums.

Representatives from 16 counties competed for a grand prize of $5,000 at the music festival. To qualify for this event, bands had to write and record an original song that delivers a message about the dangers of drugs and send it in to SDD (Shout Down Drugs). The finalists from each county performed their song at the NJ Performing Arts Center in Newark.

M3 wrote a song called “You're No True Friend.” The song is about the regret a person might feel after they get involved in drugs. You can hear the song on the Internet by visiting http://shoutdowndrugs.com and clicking on the contestants tab.

A streaming audio recording of the song can be found there.

“It was a great experience,” drummer Mike Vriesema said.

“It was a great opportunity! We will probably do it again next year,” frontman Matt Rief said.

This year to “make a difference,” the 6th graders took field trips to Paterson School 12.

On June 5, the 6th graders teamed up with Paterson Habitat for Humanity to restore and recreate an empty lot next to School 12. The ultimate goal of this project was to make a new learning environment for the students of School 12.

City Green, a nonprofit which promotes green spaces in urban areas, joined in to help create this beneficial learning space for the students.

To support all of the costs of the supplies, the 6th graders arranged a few fundraisers, including a movie night, snack and candy sales, and “GameCon,” a night to play video games at the Middle School.

This money was used to buy two brand new picnic tables and pavers for the pathway.

“Going to School 12 in Paterson was a fun experience. I really felt that we made a difference in that community and made this lot a more enjoyable learning area for these kids,” Morgan Ritsema said.

The 6th graders also talked to landscaping companies about donating items. Chris Fix Tree Care gave tree stumps for seating and wood chips for paths. Ken Steenstra Landscaping donated dirt, mulch and plants to create a butterfly garden.

Third graders from School 12 worked alongside the 6th graders, helping to shovel mulch and plant flowers.

The students visited the lot two times. The first trip was to clean up, which they did on April 22, Earth Day. “We cleaned up a lot of garbage,” said teacher Naomi Braunius, “It was a great experience, and it was a great way to celebrate Earth Day.” “It was hard work, but it eventually paid off! In the end the lot looked great, and I will always remember this. Even though serving is hard, all the work will pay off!” Jax Revfi said.

Overall, the 6th graders were not only able to achieve their goal of creating a new space for School 12, but they also planted the seed for others to think about serving. The students were able to be the hands and feet of Christ, and really “make a difference” in community around them.

Matt Bottge, Mike Vriesema, and Matt Rief

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CAMPUS NEWS

Middle School Presents MAD Projects

BY LIAM WESTRA, SENIOR

E

ach year, Middle School students tackle projects that allow them to “Make a Difference” in both the local community and the world.

On May 23, this year's MAD Projects were presented to the community in a special chapel service.

The fifth grade class hosted a “Trike-a-Thon” with the Eastern Christian Preschool to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

The fifth graders and preschoolers raised the money through sponsors from family and friends and raised a total profit of $3,700 towards St. Judes.

The sixth grade class helped out St. John’s soup kitchen in Newark, NJ by making meatloaves for their visitors. The class made a total of 63 loaves, which fed a good amount of people. The sixth graders also teamed with Habitat For Humanity in Paterson, NJ to build a learning center in a dirty lot next to school 12 in Paterson (see sidebar), The seventh grade’s main focus was disabilities. After each class researched a different disability, they spent some time in the shoes of a disabled person by partaking in events such as wheelchair basketball and trying to write with their mouths.

The class also visited Children’s Therapy Center (CTC) where they spent time with their peers with disabilities and got to know the kids well.

During their final MAD presentation on May 23, some 7th graders presented “I Am” poems about disability. One of these poems was written by Megan Leegwater, who ended each stanza with “I am unique and loved.” Hannah Hagedoorn ended each stanza with “I am loved but misunderstood.” The seventh graders saw and experienced the hardship of being disabled, and helped those who actually were.

The eighth grade class’s main focus was poverty. This included physical poverty, such as food, water and housing, as well as spiritual poverty. To demonstrate spiritual poverty, the class performed a skit about

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8th grader Erin Vander Plaat at New Hope Community Ministries.

a homeless man who was spiritually rich and a wealthy man who realized his spiritual poverty.

The class also researched poverty in the USA and interviewed several students and teachers about their opinion of the matter. Seventh and 8th grade writing teacher Laura Keuhlke said to the students, “We need to do whatever we can to stop it.” Dr. Terry Allen said to them, “The greatest poverty is spiritual poverty.”

The eighth grade class hosted several fundraisers to raise money for New Hope Community Ministries. They hosted a car wash, several bake sales, and sold snacks after school during basketball games. They also sponsored a day for Middle School students to donate money and break the dress code by wearing “hoodies.”

The students made a total profit of $1,245 for New Hope. During their presentation, they presented their fundraising in the form of a giant check and gave it to Phil Beverly, Director of New Hope.

The purpose of MAD is to empower Middle School students to make a difference. Now they know that through both big and small steps, they can transform the world.

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HIGH SCHOOL

Front Row (L to R): Jenna Shotmeyer, Anneke Ball, Karina Bermeo, Sydnie Donofrio, Kasandra Howes, Natalie Chaux, Brianna Nuzzo, Kaylin Ramos, Jessica Schultz, Rachel Barrett, Ann Marie Abadeer, Renee Braunius, Carly Brantner, Franscesca Quintero, Brooke Leentjes Row 2: Seong Jin Ree, Gabriella Silverstein, Ryan Lorentz, Brianne Bisaccio, Katelin Kim, Eliazar Hernandez, Josh Bruins, Nina Schur, Matt Bushoven, Luis Romero, Jacqueline Teschon, Matthew D’Urso, Kyali Shattuck, Kathryn Skrobala, Rebecca Girimonte, Thomas Lacy, Seol Ah Kim, Yoo Eun Kim Row 3: Kyle Coan, Austin Doehler, Joshua Borduin, Jeffrey Clark, Daniel Vivolo, Matthew Hartensveld, Ashley Manger, Andrew Bruining, Chanhee Jeong, Megan Wynbeek, Julie Van Buiten, Chandlar West, Sarah Post, Solana Lewis, Justin Struyk, Yi Zhu, Elijah Jefferson, Isaac Lee Row 4: Zachary Vander Wiele, David Saunders, Vanessa Veenstra, Heidi Lineweaver, Sarah Bruinooge, Keith Ring, Zachary Binger, Skyler Van Valkenburgh, Carly Veenstra, Ryan Vander Plaat, Kaitlyn Cestaro, Matthew Regan, Lexy Bishop, Bethany Van Eck, Kailey Kuipers, Michelle Van Dyke Back Row: Justin Scotti, Andrew Fiedler, Daniel Gorter, Tyler Van Lenten, Matthew Van Grouw, Jeffrey Van Grouw, Ethan Ruitenberg, Anthony Figueroa, Kyle Dorsey, Shawn Kukol, Seth Stadtlander, James Creange, Carlos Gonzalez, Cleveland McDaniel

Not Just One Direction

BY N ICOLE VE E NSTRA ’08

O

n Wednesday, June 19, an enthusiastic crowd cheered for eightyfour young men and women as they entered the gymnasium to the sound of Sir Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance” – a group of students now known as Eastern Christian High School’s Class of 2013.

The theme of the night was “Directions,” which followed the theme of the class yearbook. The class song, “I Will Follow,” by Chris Tomlin was played by a wide variety of musicians under the direction of Cathy Clark.

The song revealed the class members’ commitment to trust in God during one of the biggest transitions of their lives.

Valedictorian Ann Marie Abadeer had a similar message for her peers with her speech “Really? Really.” She encouraged her classmates to remember the past fondly, but also welcome the challenges of their future.

Ann reminded the students that no matter what path each person’s

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Mr. Paul Beverly introduces Valedictorian Ann Marie Abadeer

life will take, they all have at least two things in common: an education from Eastern Christian and the ability to take the first step towards their futures together.

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HIGH SCHOOL

Playing the Class Song are Elijah Jefferson, Zac Binger, Nina Schur, Andrew Bruining, Carly Veenstra, and Kyle Coan.

“There are some things in life, like graduation, that we can’t change,” she said. “So, Class of 2013, let’s take this next step together.”

Following Ann's speech, the program switched directions a bit with its commencement address by Eastern Christian Middle School teacher, and high school soccer and basketball coach, Ben Kuiken, a member of the EC Class of 2006.

Through his message entitled, “A Call Worth Dying For, A King

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Worth Living For,” Mr. Kuiken challenged the graduates to commit their lives to living for Christ, using Philippians 3 as his guide. In verses 7-8, the Apostle Paul writes the following: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”

Using both humor and words of challenge, Mr. Kuiken warned those on stage that “there is going to be a tremendous battle for your minds,” urging them to stand strong in their faith and asking them, “Who are you going to allow to shape your mind?”

Throughout the night, the theme of “Directions” was woven through the program, reminded the graduates that although God has a different plan for each of their futures, their Christian education and faith in Christ will continually bind them together, regardless of their location.

Mr. Ben Kuiken

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HIGH SCHOOL

Eastern Christian Awards

T

he following scholarships were awarded by Eastern Christian High School to members of the Class of 2013. It does not include scholarships and awards from other sources. In total, the Class of 2013 was awarded over $3,500,000 in scholarship money.

Natalie Chaux receives her diploma from Board President Nick Kuiken.

Art Department Award Sora Min

Technology Department Award Matthew Hartensveld

Overall Musical Achievement “Arion Award�

Anneke Ball

R. Bruce Van Hine First Responders Award Anthony Figueroa

Spanish Language Award Skyler Van Valkenburgh

Valedictorian Recognition Ann Abadeer

Mathematics Award Zachary Binger

Lakeland Bank Scholarship Eliazar Hernandez

Brett Zuidema Endowed Nursing Scholarship Bethany Van Eck

Eastern Christian Scholastic Writing Award Daniel Gorter

John Philip Sousa Award (Band Award) Julie Van Buiten

Sam Braen Memorial Scholarship Justin Scotti

Drama Award Skyler Van Valkenburgh

Orchestra Award Carly Veenstra EJ Jefferson

Christine White Memorial Scholarship Vanessa Veenstra Seth Stadtlander

Bible And Life Award Seth Stadtlander English Department Excellence In Writing Award Eliazar Hernandez

Journalism Award Lexy Bishop

Choral Award Jessica Schultz

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The Harold Phillips Vocational Scholarship Andrew Bruining Henriette & Kathryne Houseward Vocational Scholarship Andrew Bruining

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Calvin College John L. & Carolyn J. Steen Education Scholarship Carly Veenstra Hoitsma-Jeffer Scholarship Award Megan Wynbeek Richard J. Vander Plaat Service Award Brianne Bisaccio High School Faculty Award Ann Marie Abadeer

HIGH SCHOOL

State and National Award Winners President's Education Awards - Gold Certificates Ann Abadeer Zac Binger Anneke Ball Daniel Gorter Lexy Bishop Skyler Van Valkenburgh Katelin Kim

Natalie Chaux Julie Van Buiten Dan Vivolo Seth Stadtlander Gabriella Silverstein David Saunders Seol Ah Kim Ji Hyun Lee Bethany Van Eck Kaitlyn Cestaro Vanessa Veenstra

Sarah Post Carly Veenstra Jeff Van Grouw James Creange Seong Jin Ree Heidi Lineweaver Jenna Shotmeyer Justin Struyk Jeff Clark Eliazar Hernandez Austin Doehler

National Merit Scholarship Program Merit Scholar Daniel Gorter National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Scholars Ann Abadeer

New Jersey Stars Eligibility Recipients Ann Abadeer Anneke Ball Zac Binger Lexy Bishop Kaitlyn Cestaro Natalie Chaux Daniel Gorter Katelin Kim Gabriella Silverstein

Seth Stadtlander Julie Van Buiten Skyler Van Valkenburgh Dan Vivolo Herff Jones Principal’s Leadership Award Recognition Anneke Ball

Where Are They Going?

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he Class of 2013, made up of 84 students, reported their college acceptances to the College and Career Office. All together, they reported being accepted to 111 colleges and universities.

Adelphi College American University Arcadia University Baylor University Bergen Community College Boston College Caldwell College Calvin College Carleton College Cedarville University Coastal Carolina University DePaul University Dominican College Dordt College Drew University Drexel University East Stroudsburg University Eastern University Elon University Emerson College Fairleigh Dickinson University Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY) Felician College Fordham University Gardner-Webb University Geneva College George Mason University Gordon College Grove City College

Palm Beach Atlantic University Paul Smith's College Pennsylvania College of Technology Polytechnic Institute of NYU Pomona College Pratt Institute Quinnipiac University Ramapo College of New Jersey Rhode Island School of Design Rider University Rochester Institute of Technology Rowan College Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Sage College of Albany Saint Joseph's University Samford University School of the Arts Institute of Chicago School of Visual Arts Seton Hall University Shenandoah University Siena College Southeastern University St. Johns University St. John's College State University of New York at Binghamton State University of New York at Buffalo State University of New York at New Paltz

Haverford College Hendrix University Hofstra University Hunter College Iona College Ithaca College John Jay College of Criminal Justice Johnson & Wales University Judson University Kean University Liberty University LIM College Loyola Maryland University Manhattan College Marist College Maryland Institute College of Art Massachusetts College of Art Messiah College Monmouth University Montclair State University Mount Saint Mary's College New Jersey City University New Jersey Institute of Technology New York Institute of Technology New York University Northeastern University Nyack College Olivet Nazarene University Pace University

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State University of New York at Stony Brook State University of New York at Albany Stevens Institute of Technology Syracuse University Taylor University Temple University Texas Christian University The College of New Jersey Trinity International University University of Albany University of Arkansas University of Bridgeport University of Hartford University of Iowa University of Kentucky University of New Haven University of Northern Colorado University of Scranton University of South Australia University of the Arts University of Tulsa Upscomb University Virginia Intermont College Wheaton College William Paterson University Worcester Polytechnical Institute York College of Pennsylvania

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Front Row (L to R): John Hayes, Ellese Boodaghian, Matthieu Davis, Joshua Onufer, Samuel Kuder+, Alison Cummins*, Julian Foley*+, Trystian Sullivan*+, Christian Nigro, Daniel Kuder, Jesse Boonstra+, Rachel Girimonte*, Ethan Agnello, Melanie Romero, Andrew Brooks, Tianyu (Avril) Han* Row 2: Bruce (Mac) Bohuny*, Brooke Van Lenten, Zachariah Wistuk, Christina Poliandro, Ethan Vander Molen*+, Daniela Molina+, Skylar Brown*+, Rachel Schultz*, Adrian Brown *+, Erin Vander Plaat*, Nicholas Rosendale, Brenna Duffy, Alyssa Botbyl*, Scott Steenstra*+, Morgan Abma*+ Row 3: Carina Castagna, Joseph De Jong*, Abigail Johnson*, Adam Faber, Sarah Colbert, Seung Bum (Steve) Choi, Alexis Struck, Benjamin Boonstra*, Caitlyn Taylor, Sergio Harris*, Nicole Martin, Connor Van Hoff, Elisabeth Kuipers*, Mathew Matthias*+, Kristen Casey *+, Kyle Streelman*, Hope Hennessy, Jarrett Kuipers Not Pictured: Jeong Beom (Joe) Seo (*denotes a Presidental Award recipient. + denotes a small group leader.)

Courage and Core Values

BY TIM STE E N

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ifty 8th graders and their families, friends, and teachers celebrated their graduation on the evening of Tuesday, June 18 in the Middle School Gymnasium.

For the first time in ECMS history, three students were named as co-valedictorians. Kyle Streelman, Abigail Johnson and Scott Steenstra took this opportunity to reflect on the three parts of the Eastern Christian motto, “Engaging the Mind, Nurturing the Spirit, and Transforming the World.”

Kyle said that ever since kindergarten, EC taught him that books were a key to engaging the mind, and that his love of reading was one hallmark of his education he learned from EC. He said that Eastern Christian “not only taught me how to think, but how to think about everything in a Christian worldview.” Looking forward, he said he believed

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Co-valedictorian Scott Steenstra, with Abigail Johnson and Kyle Streelman.

that EC instilled in the 8th graders a drive to make engaging the mind a life long goal.

Abigail compared “nurturing the spirit” to taking care of the garden of her heart. She said that at the Middle School, she was both challenged to

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MIDDLE SCHOOL

Principal Andrew Culp

Julian Foley and Daniel Kuder

grow and become more deeply rooted in her faith. She recalled Bible projects that forced the 8th graders to look anew at the Christmas and Resurrection stories and to be able to explain them to an incredulous stranger.

Scott spoke of how the 8th grade class rose to the challenge of “Transforming the World,” and congratulated his peers for the good work they had done through 4 years of MAD projects and other opportunities for service.

Teachers Liesl Botbyl, Joyce Breur, and Marc Spoelstra reflected on how the 8th grade class had achieved high levels of meeting the six Core Values of Eastern Christian. “You had six Core Values to think about, and today you have six goals achieved,” said Mr. Spoelstra. “You have set the bar high.”

Principal Andrew Culp reminisced with the 8th graders about their class trip to Spruce Lake. He said that spending time in the wilderness is often an apt metaphor for Middle School. However, he said, like the Israelites in the desert, the class was called to “Be strong and courageous.”

Mr. Culp also presented the class with a whimsical poem in the style of Dr. Seuss, calling them to find that strength and courage in Christ.

Reflecting that same spirit and theme, the class sang their Class Song “Courageous” by Casting Crowns before receiving their diplomas and an enthusiastic applause from the crowd.

The evening ended with a welcome from High School Principal Joel Uecker and a closing prayer by Head of School Tom Dykhouse.

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(from left) Rachel Schultz, Christina Poliandro, and Alison Cummins prepare for the processional.

Adrian and Skylar Brown

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ELEMENTARY BUSINESS DRIVE SCHOOL

Front Row (L to R): Spencer Langelaar, Matias Cortes, Steven Monila, Tommy DeGeyter, Nicole Pienaar, Julieann Curtis, Madison Libby, Billy Brauch, Karalyn Hosier, Jonathan Ericksen, Thomas De Block Row 2: Janelle Baldin, George Foley, Jesse Yohannan, D’Anna Moran, Maria Nabih, Cormac Murtagh, Erina Lee, Alex Perez, Karlee Borduin, Ryan Westra, Row 3: Elizabeth Botbyl, Brian Schaaf, Aidan Sehulster, Gabriella Lopez, Cassidy Abma, Tyler Dykhouse, Ava Cipriano, Kaily Campbell, Edythe Cummins, Katie Kuiken, Rachel Baker, Kelly Steenstra, James Blanco, Row 4: Annika Westra, Luke Vulpone, Emma Robinson, James Klas, Maddie Rupp, John Skead, Michael Steiginga Back row: Henry Hagedorn, Emmanuel Dyer, Sofia-Vesti Graine

Graduating with Gifts

BY TIM STE E N

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he Elementary School Promotion Chapel on June 18 gave forty-three 4th graders the opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the completion of their years of study at Eastern Christian Elementary School.

Carol Byma and Donna Hoogerhyde, the 4th grade teachers, read the Bible verses that made up the Bible themes of each year the students attended the Elementary School.

Principal Sandra Bottge also referred to those themes in her promotion speech, as well as this year's theme of being transformed, which is from Romans 12. She reminded the students that they had often transformed the school this year with both their individual and collective gifts.

Mrs. Bottge said that the students brought the school into “One Body in Christ” with their work in dramas, musical performances, leading chapel, being on service teams, and especially by helping their younger classmates on the playground and in the classroom.

It was “a wonderful year living, working, and playing together as one Body in Christ,” Mrs. Bottge said. “Thank you for using your gifts. Our prayer is for you to continue using your gifts and telling your story.”

Dick Van Yperen, the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, told the 4th graders that their years in middle school could often be a reflection of The Tale of Two Cities: “the best of times, and the worst of times.” However, he said, heeding the advice of Romans 12, of putting love into action and always putting others first, is the most sure way to ensure that the students' middle school years “would be the best of times, and the age of wisdom.”

The class sang “Our God” as their song to their families and fellow elementary students.

In addition, they opened the chapel by playing recorders to “Ode to Joy”, which they learned this year in music class with Rob Flim.

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Gabriella Lopez receives her certificate from Carol Byma.

Michael Steiginga, Karalyn Hosier, Nicole Pienaar, and Tommy DeGeyter

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Sandra Bottge addresses the graduating class.

BUSINESS PRESCHOOL DRIVE

Front Row (L to R): Aramis Nieshalla, Ryan Miller, Mason Libby, Olivia Fisher, Billy Cook, Kristen Brauch, Caleb Vander Wall, Jada Mulder, Mia Losquadro, Mattia Thomson, Zachary Master Row 2: Zoe Dunwoody, Dirk Denenkamp, Ivy Sheikh, Emma Cabrera, Zachary Soder, Mia Rose Valenzuela, Nathaniel Iskander, Braydon Winkler, Madelyn White, Nico Noury Row 3: Ethan Mombrun, Kierra Faase, Jack Meserole, Abby Post, Hudson Culp, Katelyn Silverstein, Brielle Heerema, Josiah Baitzel, Eva Vasile, Brooke Dykhouse Row 4: Paul Heerema, Hannah Leegwater, Andy Genuario, Hannah Post, Joshua Wall, Sylvia Zuidema, Christopher Yevchak, Avery Peters, Matthew Bavagnoli, Sophia Cristaldi, Paul Dussard Jr. Not Pictured: Kai Louie.

Preschool Celebrates Being “One Body in Christ”

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n Monday, June 17, EC's graduation week began with 43 enthusiastic preschoolers and their families celebrating God's faithfulness at Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church.

Along with all of EC's schools, this year's Biblical theme for the preschool was “One Body in Christ.” In her opening remarks, teacher Mrs. Kathy Faasse said that the theme really came alive for the faculty and students this year, due to the move of the preschool into the elementary school as part of the new Primary Program. This graduation marked the first graduating class of that Primary Program.

The majority of the ceremony was made up of the energetic singing and motions of the preschoolers, led by music teacher Mrs. Nancy Martin.

The graduates sang six songs, including their theme song “One Body in Christ,” “My God is so Great,” and “Jesus Loves Me.” After receiving their certificates marking the completion of preschool, the students recessed the sanctuary to the tune of “Great is Your Faithfulness,” a reminder of God's provision and love to yet another generation of EC students.

The preschoolers sang to God.

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Sophia Cristaldi shows off her diploma.

Moments from the

2013 Graduations Closing prayer at the Elementary School Promotion Chapel

ry Nico No

Donna Hoogerhyde with Sofia-Vesti Graine

Marilyn Bushman with Mia Losquadro

r iel Kude and Dan te n o Girim Rachel Rob Flim sings with Cormac Murtagh, Erina Lee, Alex Perez, Karlee Borduin, and Ryan Westra

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FEATURE

Ann Marie Abadeer, David Saunders, Matthew Hartensveld, Da Jia Qian, Sarah Kim and Chanhee Jeong

Scott Steenstra, Adam Faber, and Mathew Matthias

Ruth Kuder prays at the close of the High School Commencement

Nichola s Rosen dale wit and bro h his fath ther er

Keith Ring and Francesca Quintero

Justin Struyk with his mom

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FOUNDATION NEWS he Same! t l l i t S — w o N Th e n a n d

a Christian education that no family desiring ion lat pu sti e th th wi hed s a significant ed in 1892, was establis e full tuition. This wa nd th y fou pa ol, to y ho Sc ilit n ab tia in ris eir astern Ch nity because of th orting churches and be denied this opportu mitment from the supp m co a s wa ere th ly for their children would us s 6:2 “ Bear ye ultaneo ere it states in Galatian nization, however sim wh ga rd or wo w ne d’s a Go for to th ce fai leap of tfall as an act of obedien ity to make up the shor un m m co n tia ris Ch r r hand, many broade mand, but on the othe the law of Christ.” m ll lfi co fu d’s so Go d of an t s, en en rd llm one another’s bu ed in this faithful fulfi others on top of that. s adding the burden of ferent then which result les dif h re uc we m s, es ce tim an s fin ap n rh Pe 121 years is eir ow Christian education for enough demand on th ing an go th e on or m ide d ov ha pr e to tim le itment been ab families of that strate this same comm . The fact that we have on ed m ail de ev ll pr sti d an sey Jer uld w co munity in Northern Ne n for their own Yet they did what they on at Eastern Christia rs of the Christian com ati be uc em ed m g e th gin at an th ch e nc rld abundant evide ment to provide wo made a sacrificial invest ve ha y an M . ers nd fou l need. of our istance to cover ose who have a financia me form of financial ass th so e for uir ng req idi at ov th pr s as ilie ll children as we ristian come from fam from our supporters in s on raising $525,000 s attending Eastern Ch cu nt fo de ll stu wi of ar % ye 20 is y, th da of l To years ago are e fal were embraced many nual Fund appeal in th ich An r wh Ou les . cip on in ati pr uc n ed tia the cost of their allenge. The same Chris cessary to meet this ch ne s nd fu best we can. e th se rai to velope for your order support each other as d an er oth ch ea , or use the enclosed en for tly re or ca sh we ail at m e th th – y in da al still relevant to Annual Fund Appe ay we count on your Eastern Christian 2013 y as it ever has been. M da to t ea gr as is t or pp When you receive your e need for your su nsider the fact that th contribution, please co er’s burden.” is year? a desire to “bear anoth d th t an or on pp ati su l uc cia ed n an tia fin l ris faithfu of a love for Ch ll give generously out We pray that many wi

E

’58 ret G. Nieuwenhuis Gaarrre ivee Director uttiv Exxeeccu Association t rn Christian School E ste Foundation for Ea

2013 Capital Campaign Report The 2013 Capital Campaign for Eastern Christian has begun. It will provide the necessary funds for the planned renovations and upgrades to all three campuses. From January through June of 2013, we have received donations, pledges and gifts in kind totaling in excess of $700,000 with many additional promises of support to follow up for the remainder of 2013 and beyond.

Media Center, a new section of lockers in the High School, several new heating units and upgrades to the security systems in all three buildings.

The initial response has been very gratifying and has enabled us to begin the work on the 2013 phase of the improvements. Thanks to a generous donation of ceramic tile and related materials from the Westra family, owners of Wayne Tile Co., we hope to complete the renovation of 13 bathrooms located throughout all three buildings during the summer of 2013. Several additional improvements will also be completed this summer, such as new carpeting the Middle School P A G E

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The campaign will continue through 2014 in order to raise the remainder of the funds necessary to complete the designated improvements. Your prayers and financial support are deeply appreciated as we enter our 122nd school year in September, 2013.

For information on how you can participate in the campaign, please contact Garret Nieuwenhuis, Executive Director, Foundation for Eastern Christian School at 973-427-9294 or by email : gnieuwenhuis@easternchristian.org.

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FOUNDATION NEWS

Happy 3rd Birthday ditto!

BY GARR ET G.N I E UWE N H U IS

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hree years ago, Eastern Christian School opened ditto, an upscale resale store in North Haledon, N.J. We did so with a grand opening in September 2010, asking God to bless this venture and to provide the donors, volunteers and customers to make this a successful operation for the benefit of the school. While no one doubted that God would be able to bless this operation, no one anticipated that this blessing would come so quickly and so powerfully!

Consider the following: 1. In the first three years of operation ditto achieved total sales of $1,322,218.

2. During this three-year period, ditto contributed $290,000 to ECSA. 3. During this three-year period ditto paid back $207,675 in loans.

4. During this three-year period ditto made $15,000 in community contributions to local fire, police, ambulance and food pantries.

5. ditto has a roster of over 200 volunteers.

The success of ditto in North Jersey in some ways has been unprecedented, and in other ways it has created situations we did not expect to have to address so soon. For one thing, as large as the store is, its success has created a space problem—we need more of it. Fortunately, there may be a solution in the near future for which we are grateful. For the time being, however, we need to be patient and more resourceful with the space we currently have. We are also in constant need of more volunteers as the operations

“EC” VARSITY RUGBY DOG SWEATERS & VARSITY LETTER SCARVES Orders must be placed by September 26, 2013.

Order yours today!

Head of School Tom Dykhouse thanks the ditto volunteers.

grow and expand. Some faithful volunteers are finding the heavy workload to be too much for them and have to cut back on their time, or in some cases have retired from volunteering. We continue to explore other avenues for volunteer candidates and are working closely with local churches for volunteers during specific days and hours to address this matter.

One of the many blessings that ditto has experienced is the fact that the existence of the store has mainly been promoted by word of mouth, saving the store the need for significant amounts of expensive advertising. Another blessing is the acceptance of the store and its mission by the larger community surrounding the store. Not only are community people donating regularly to ditto, but several have inquired about the possibility of volunteering as well. In these situations, we take the opportunity to explain our mission and what we are working for and why. Our experience to date has been rewarded with wonderful new friends who volunteer side by side with Eastern Christian parents and grandparents for the benefit of our school.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

For information and order form visit www.easternchristian.org or call the Foundation office at 973-427-9294

P A G E 2 3 Q F A L L 2 0 1 3 Our model “Zach” wearing the “EC” Varsity Sweater

A sample of Varsity Letter Scarf 100% acrylic yarn, machine washable (actual scarf will be blue & gold with EC letters)

FOUNDATION NEWS

Medical Field Scholarships Available

Do You Have a Stop & Shop Grocery Store Near You? Do you have a Stop & Shop grocery store loyalty card? If so, please register your card in Stop & Shop’s A+ Program for Eastern Christian School. Each time you shop and use your loyalty card, you will earn points for our school.

These points become cash for our school to use for our educational needs. Simply email or call the Foundation office with your 13 digit card number and we’ll do the rest!

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astern Christian School continues to manage the Smith-Shute Scholarship Fund.

The scholarship provides financial assistance to EC female graduates attending medical school after graduating from college.

The revised eligibility requirements are as follows:

1. Must be a female applicant who graduated from Eastern Christian High School.

2. Applicant must be a college graduate, attaining a 3.0 GPA Call the Foundation office at 973-727-9294, or email 3. Applicant must apply for the scholarship within 6 years of graduating from beverlyalbies@easternchristian.org.

Eastern Christian High School.

This simple effort will make a huge difference for our 4. Applicants must pursue a course of study related to the medical field including, school! Thank You! but not limited to medical doctor, all areas of nursing, Physical Therapist, dentist, and other similar vocations. Priority will be given to applicants applying to study to become a medical doctor.

5. Applications are to be forwarded to Eastern Christian School's Foundation office, and must include a personal bio, evidence of satisfactory GPA, and a letter outlining the reasons for the application.

6. Eastern Christian's selections committee will make the final decision for this scholarship which will be renewable for the duration of the student's time in medical school.

7. Depending on the resources available, there may only be one scholarship awarded in May of each year.

Last year EC earned over $1,500 from this program.

For additional information, please contact Garret G. Nieuwenhuis, Executive Director, Foundation for Eastern Christian School at 973-427-9294 or gnieuwenhuis@easternchristian.org.

Long Term Employees Honored at Eastern Christian

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n June 20, the Eastern Christian School Association honored 18 employees at a service held in the sanctuary of Faith Community CRC in recognition of their years of service to Eastern Christian School.

This year’s group of honorees collectively represent over 205 years of service ranging from 5 years to 30 years of service.

Presenting the awards were Nicholas Kuiken, President of the EC Board of Directors and Thomas Dykhouse, Head of School.

5 Years Anne Bazanowski Gerard Cantalupo Debra Herbst Nathan Minchen Garret Nieuwenhuis Christine Porochniak 10 Years Lilia Apuy Ji Young Kim Pamela Kosten Laura Kuehlke Ana Tortos

15 Years Susan Boonstra Marilyn Bushman Alisa Engelhard Mary Faber Paige Visser 20 Years Douglas Wanamaker 30 Years Debra Vandenberg

We congratulate the honorees and pray that they will continue to serve our school with distinction for many more years.

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Back Row (L to R): Susan Boonstra, Marilyn Bushman, Debra Herbst, Mary Faber, Pamela Kosten, Alisa Engelhard, Paige Visser, Anne Bazanowski, Debra Vanderberg. Front Row: Christine Porochniak, Laura Kuehlke, Garry Nieuwenhuis, Ji Young Kim, and Ana Tortos.

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EVENTS Eastern Christian Athletic Boosters

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ho are the EC Athletic Boosters? The Athletic Boosters is an organization made up of parents and alumni that raises funds to supplement the sports programs at Eastern Christian. The Athletic Boosters and the Foundation Office work together on events throughout the school year including a fall golf outing and annual Beefsteak Dinner among others.

(from left:) Donna (Douma) Van Hoff, Sue (Balkema) Wynbeek, Hannah (Dekker) Cerynik, Coach Steven King, Sharon Veenstra, Faith (Popjes) Douma, and Sheri (Leegwater) Mercadante.

(from left): Seniors Matt Van Grouw, Matt D’Urso, Jeff Van Grouw (standing), Justin Struyk, Cleveland McDaniel, and Josh Breeman are ready and waiting for a beefsteak dinner.

4 TH A N N UA L BEEFSTEAK DINNER

ATHLETIC BOOSTERS FENCE BANNERS

Perhaps the most popular Athletic Boosters event is the Beefsteak Dinner.

On January 30, the 4th annual Beefsteak Dinner was held at The Brownstone is Paterson, N.J. with an attendance of over 280 student athletes, parents, and alumni. Co-chairmen Ben Spoelstra and Roger Steiginga once again organized a wonderful event. The evening began with EC Senior Seth Stadtlander opening with prayer and speaking on what the EC athletic program has meant to him throughout his four years at ECHS. Seth was followed by Athletic Director Steven King, who highlighted many of the accomplishments of the teams and individual athletes over the past year.

Mr. King was then joined by ECHS Principal Joel Uecker and together they shared information about the exciting development of a new lacrosse program at ECHS. The honorees this year were members of the 1990 League, County, and State Championship Volleyball Team. Newspaper articles and pictures from the 1990 season were on display bringing back many fond memories for both the team members and coach Steven King. After dinner, a live auction took place where attendees were able to bid on sports tickets and memorabilia. This was a great evening with wonderful food, fun and fellowship, and it raised over $12,800 for Eastern Christian Sports programs.

Advertise your business on the EC athletic field. This is a great way to support EC athletics and promote your business. Display fees are $300 per year and $150 for a full color 6’x 3’ banner. Purchase three years of display now and the banner fee is waived. Call the EC Foundation Office at 973-427-9294 for more information.

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COMMUNITY NIGHT The first ever Athletic Boosters community night was held on September 21, 2012 at Willow Field in North Haledon. It was an evening of exciting sports and community spirit featuring a double header soccer game with both the Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer teams facing off with Lodi.

Both teams played well, with the boys finishing in a 0-0 tie and the girls winning 3-2. Fans were encouraged to wear white to show their support for EC. The Athletic Boosters operated a concession stand serving hot dogs, sandwiches, snacks, and beverages.

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EVENTS

Denim & Diamonds Auction Gala

Donna Chrinian, Karen Borduin and Lori Steiginga take a break from the bidding to pose for a picture.

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he second annual Denim & Diamonds Auction Gala was held on April 18, at The Tides Estate in North Haledon. Over 300 supporters enjoyed a fabulous dinner buffet while having the opportunity

Bill Englishmen raises his paddle high to place a bid during the live auction.

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to place silent bids on interesting items including themed baskets, gift certificates, designer accessories, and many unique pieces. After dinner an energetic live auction directed by auctioneer John Doller featured golf outings, tickets to Broadway shows, sporting events, the use of vacation homes, and much more. A new item up for bid on the live auction this year was an “Instant Wine Cellar.” Guests were encouraged to bring a bottle of their favorite wine to the auction to help create this one of a kind bidding opportunity. It was great fun watching the accumulation of wines as auction guests arrived. During the live auction, the bottles were sold to the high bidder. Other highlights of the evening included a Diamond Dig where guests could dig for a “diamond” in hopes of winning a prize and the opportunity to purchase a Denim Pocket with a surprise gift inside.

The event was a wonderful evening of great food, fun, and fellowship, with a net profit of $58,000 for Eastern Christian School. Thank you to our auction committee and our many supporters, donors, and volunteers for helping to make this event a great success. Next year’s Denim & Diamonds Auction Gala will be May 7, 2014. Mark your calendars now and join us for this wonderful evening.

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EVENTS

Golfers Tee Off for EC

A popular contest that takes place on one of the holes at the Golf Outing is “Beat the EC Golf Team Member.” This year only nine golfers succeeded in doing so.

Pictured with Tom Dykhouse are EC golf team members, Kyle Dorsey, Connor Milkamp, and Ryan Vander Plaat.

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he annual EC Golf Outing was held at Black Bear Golf Club on Monday, May 20, and raised over $26,000 for Eastern Christian School. Despite the ominous looking morning sky, the weather was warm and sunny, perfect for a day of golf. Participants enjoyed a delicious burger lunch, a great day of golf, and a wonderful buffet dinner.

The contests are always a popular aspect of the golf outing and this year’s outing featured an exciting new challenge. Golfers had the opportunity to win a new car for a hole-in-one sponsored by Paramus Chevrolet. Although no golfer won the car, everyone enjoyed a fantastic day of golf and fellowship.

Thank you to our golf committee, Kurt Faber – Chairman, Bruce Bohuny, Henry Hagedoorn, Dwayne Leegwater, Scott Martin, and Ken Steenstra, and also to all the Sponsors and Golfers who helped make a successful outing.

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Golfers Jason Nyman and Brian Tuzzio checking in with the starter.

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ALUMNI NEWS Note: The Alumni News printed was received via a written note, e-mail or from media sources. The editors reserve the right to edit submissions.

the 1970s Warren Van Wyck ’70 was sworn into the Vermont Legislature in early February, 2013. He was appointed by Vermont’s governor to complete the term of the previous Representative who passed away late last year.

the 1980s Paul Thompson ’83 is pleased to announce the publication of his first book: “A Most Stirring and Significant Episode”: Religion and the Rise and Fall of Prohibition in Black Atlanta, 1885-1887 (Northern Illinois University Press). Paul is currently Associate Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History & Political Science at North Greenville University in Tigerville, S.C. David Van Heemst ’84 was honored as outstanding faculty member at Olivet Nazarene University’s Commencement in May. He received the 2013 Samuel L. Mayhugh Award for Scholarly Excellence.

David holds a bachelor’s degree, three master’s degrees and a doctorate degree and is Professor of Political Science at Olivet.

Russell Huizing ’87 completed his Ph.D. at Regent University in Organizational Leadership with an Ecclesial concentration.

At the commissioning service, he received

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the School of Business and Leadership's Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award for his research on the use of ritual in follower development. In August, he became the Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministries at Toccoa Falls College in Georgia and continued as an adjunct instructor in Regent University's Biblical Studies and Christian Ministry department.

Liz and Bob Rosendale ’83 announce the birth of a son, Hudson on 5/13/13.

Craig ’84 and Ellen Spalt Faber ’86 announce the birth of a daughter, Ella Rose on 1/11/13. Ella Rose joins older sisters Victoria and Noelle.

the 1990s Lauren Kooistra ’96 has accepted an appointment at the Penn State Institute of Arts and Humanities as assistant director.

The post-doc position, awarded by the College of Arts and Architecture, will begin in fall 2013 when Lauren receives her Ph.D. Lauren received her bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Gordon College and her master’s degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Westminster Choir College.

Amanda and Jeff Peters ’98 announce the birth of a daughter, Brooklynne on 12/26/12. She joins big brother Jamison.

the 2000s Jason and Jill Schuurman Formicola ’00 announce the birth of their daughter, Grace Noelle, on 5/9/12.

Julie (Dykhouse) Tokarski ’01 completed her residency in general pediatrics at Montefiore Children’s Hospital in the Bronx, N.Y. She will begin a fellowship at Montefiore for specialized training in pediatric emergency medicine.

Emily and Michael Dyer ’02 announce the birth of their son, Colton Michael on 12/16/12. The Dyer’s reside in Milford, Pa. Kevin Vriesema ’03 and Rebecca Santhouse ’03 were married on 5/11/13. They will reside in West Milford, N.J. Laura Kuiken ’07 graduated Magna Cum Laude from Montclair State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Science with a concentration in Dietetics. She is working as a nutrition coach for Platinum Fitness.

Andrew Abadeer ’09 graduated with High Honor from Stevens Institute of Technology, and received the Biomedical Engineering Outstanding Senior award.

Andrew was accepted into Medical School at Columbia University.

Daniel Bruinooge ’09 graduated from California Institute of the Arts with a bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Dan plans

Return to: The Herald, Eastern Christian School, 50 Oakwood Ave, North Haledon, NJ 07508

Names(s) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduation Year __________________________ E-Mail ________________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Your News ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ P A G E

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ALUMNI NEWS

to stay in California to pursue his art and music opportunities.

Allison Faber ’09 graduated Magna Cum Laude from Gordon College with a degree in Early Childhood Education and Psychology and was awarded the Excellence in Education award.

Amber Joy Fiedler ’09 graduated Magna Cum Laude from Gordon College with a degree in Business Administration and Communication Arts. Amber was given the honor of introducing the guest speaker at the Baccalaureate Service.

The Foundation Office has learned of the deaths of the following alumni and former staff members since our last issue of The Herald.

remembering Helen (Kamp) Van Hassel ’44 of Wyckoff, N.J. on 5/1/13. Helen was a member of

Wyckoff Reformed Church. She played in the Joyful Noise Bell Choir, was active on the Outreach Committee, and played the carillon on Sunday mornings. After Eastern Academy, she graduated from Hood College in Frederick, Md., with a degree in journalism. A competitive speed skater, in 1943 Helen skated in Madison Square Garden and won the Girls Intermediate Derby Silver Skates.

Ruth (Cooper) Drost ’45 of Conklin, Mich. on 2/3/13. She was a member of Coopersville Christian Reformed Church.

Alyce (Pruiksma) Meines ’50 of Colorado Springs, Colo. on 3/5/13. She was a member of the Horizon Community CRC. Gertrude (Faber) Zylstra ’51 of Roswell, N.M. on 4/1/13. Gertrude was a member of Redeemer Christian Fellowship Church.

Peter D. Borduin ’51 of North Haledon, N.J. on 5/10/13. He was a member of Cedar Hill CRC and the former Bethel CRC where he served as both Elder and Deacon. He was a lifetime member of the Cathedral Choir.

Doris (Little) Dyk ’51 of North Haledon, N.J. on 5/25/13. She was a member of Cedar Hill

CRC and the former Bethel CRC where she served on Booster Club, led Calvinettes and participated in the Encouragers Ministry.

Jean (Vander Molen) Czuba ’53 of Fairfield, N.J. on 1/19/13. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell.

Martina Bushoven Johnson ’58 of Fontana, Calif. on 5/19/13 from injuries sustained in an automobile collision.

David Jaarsma ’60 of St. Joseph, Mich. on 2/28/13. After Eastern Academy, he was a graduate of Calvin College and the University of Michigan.

Robert L. Bush ’63 of Grand Rapids, Mich. on 3/26/13. Bob obtained his doctorate in physics and was active in many ministries at Brookside CRC. Lawrence Fieldhouse ’72 of Andover, N.J., formerly of Prospect Park, on 5/12/13. He was a member of Unity CRC. Shelly Snyder Meeler ’74 of Vero Beach, Fla., previously of Burlington, N.C. on 2/19/13.

David Pruiksma ’77 of Hawthorne, N.J. on 2/5/13. David was the owner of Clixes in Wyckoff and a member of Faith Community CRC.

Several classmates from the Class of 1981 gathered in June to celebrate their 50th birthdays! Pictured (L to R): Ginamarie (Cassidy) Quinn, Linda Mabie, Wayne Schipper and Linda (Van Boerum) Hefty.

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ALUMNI NEWS R e u n i o n Updat e

The Class of 1962

T

he Class of 1962 gathered over the weekend of August 11, 2012 for their 50th Class Reunion. Classmates first became reacquainted at a tour of the ECHS on Saturday afternoon.

The reunion dinner was held Saturday evening at Pellegrino’s Restaurant in North Haledon, N.J. It was great to see so many classmates – everyone had a wonderful time.

Row 1 (L to R): Norman Jonkman, Elaine Hook, Marlene (Santhouse) Magdar.

Row 2: Dorothy (Aukema) Valkema, Elizabeth (Bradford) Aupperlee, Nancy (Hartog) Ruiter, Mary Lou (Botbyl) Flitcroft, Teresa (Van Dyke) Hensel, Clarene (Higby) Saltenberger.

Row 3: Anne Bontekoe, Karen Daviou, Anna Mae (Laauwe) Kuipers, Linda (Vermeulen) Foster, Janet (Bush) Buist, Judy (Lehmer) Cooper.

Row 4: John Husselman, Alan Struck, Ted Peters, John Knapp, Ron Douma, George De Boer, Bert Prol, Fred Struyk, Roy Elsenbroek, Don Post.

reunion year classes Please be sure the Alumni Office has your up-to-date contact information. Send your address and/or email information to alumni@easternchristian.org and you will be sure to get all your reunion news. Please check EC’s website – Reunion Updates for additional details.

Class of 1983: 30-YEAR REUNION

2013 reunions

Class of 1978: 35-YEAR REUNION

Friday, December 27 at Pellegrino’s Restaurant in North Haledon from 7pm to 11pm. More information is available on Facebook: EC Class of 1983 or email Linda (Kohere) Vandenberg at lrv215@aol.com.

Saturday, November 30 at The Brownstone in Paterson from 7pm to 11pm. Please email the committee at: ecclass2003@ gmail.com for additional details.

Saturday, October 12 at The Castle in Chester, N.Y. Invitations have gone out – if we do not have your current address, please contact: Maribeth (Van Der Plaats) Vriesema at maribethvriesema@easternchristian.org. Additional information is on Facebook: EC Class of 1978.

Class of 1993: 20-YEAR REUNION

Class of 1958: 55-YEAR REUNION

Jennifer (Meyer) Ross reports the reunion will be On October 12 at The Village Inn in Wayne at 6pm. Contact Jenn at 973-800-8742 or email: ec1993reunion@yahoo.com.

Saturday, September 28 at The Brick House in Wyckoff at 12 noon. For further information please contact Garry Nieuwenhuis at 973-427-7948 or by email: garnflo@verizon.net.

Class of 2003: 10-YEAR REUNION

2014 Reunions

Attention Class of:

Are you a member of one of the following classes?

If so, 2014 is your year for a reunion!

It’s not too early to get started.

2004 - 10 yr 1994 - 20 yr 1989 - 25 yr 1984 - 30 yr 1979 - 35 yr

Please call EC’s Foundation Office at 973-427-9294 or email: alumni@easternchristian.org for more information.

1974 - 40 yr 1969 - 45 yr 1964 - 50 yr 1959 - 55 yr

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1954 1949 1944 1939 1934 EC’s Foundation Office will host a luncheon for these combined years in anniversary of their graduations at ECHS in 2014. Please be sure we have your updated address and/or email so we can contact you next spring with the details.

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DESIGNATED GIFTS JANUARY 31, 2013 – JUNE 15, 2013

Thank you to all who made donations to support Christian education at EC! During this time period, gifts given in honor or in memory of a loved one totaled $7,221.00. All gifts are to Eastern Christian School’s Endowment Fund unless otherwise indicated.

In Memory of Peter Borduin Garret & Florence Nieuwenhuis Helen Van Heemst Albert & Janet Visbeen Leonard Bouwense Russell & Cynthia Bouwense Bethany Broersma * Eunice Broersma Lisa Tannenbaum Emma Copeland Margaret Bloomquist Theodore De Jong + Barbara Kuiken Davis Doris (Little) Dyk Albert & Catherine Algera Henry & Marge Balkema Marion Borduin Gertrude & John Borst Roy & Jeanne Bushoven Flavia Cali Loretta Cammaroto Arlene & Leonard De Block John & Anita De Korte James & Elaine De Ritter John & Kay Drukker Hubert & Madeline Dyk Wilma Dykhouse Theodore & Nancy Faber Charles & Ann Fisher Diane & Harry Gordon

Gerard Fridsma Nicholas & Bertha Fridsma Nicholas B. Fridsma Bernard Van Heemst Edward & Ida Van Heemst Jeremy Bernard Van Heemst Hilda Wisse Helen Van Heemst

William & Marcia Heerema Steven & Daun Hook Annamae Hulsebos Raymond & Julia Martin Ethel Moore Garret & Florence Nieuwenhuis Lynda & Thomas Pasqueretta William & Josephine Peters Jeanette Rozema Edna Smith Linda Steiginga Jim & Lib Still Helen Van Heemst Henry & Julia Van Heemst Katherine Veenstra Dorothy Woudenberg

infant Mark Herman June Buser Dean, Lori, Morgan & Taylor Herman Nancy Niedzwiecki Lynda & Thomas Pasqueretta William Roca

Harold Dykhouse Betty Ann Dykhouse Jacob & Carol Dykhouse Jacob & Frances Dykhouse Raeanna & Garret Dykhouse Thomas & Linda Dykhouse Susan & Robert Kozielski Midland Park CRC Barbara Vriesema

Harold Hollema Jessie Hollema Nancy & John Hemrick Garret & Florence Nieuwenhuis Lynda & Thomas Pasqueretta Donald & Rosemary Struyk Henry & Doris Zeeuw John & Gertrude Huizenga John & Carolyn Steen

Anne (Beversluis) Etterbeek Gerda Beversluis Susan, Carl & Eric Soderlind ^

John Huizenga Tannette & Peter Botbyl John & Anita De Korte Ralph & Dorothy Faasse Trudie & Brian Pruiksma

Barbara (Klopman) Etterbeek Peter & Donna Faber Susan, Carl & Eric Soderlind ^

John “Jack” Hulsebos Thomas & Linda Dykhouse Annamae Hulsebos

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David Jaarsma Joyce & Henry Jaarsma Marvin Meeter Trena Meeter Alyce (Pruiksma) Meines Elizabeth & William Almroth Gertrude Beintema Doris & Jacob Kuiken Ann & Maurice Ricco Richard & Ruth Van Hoff Beatrice Minkema Richard & Lynn Ver Hage Thomas Noyes, Jr. Jean Crawford * Marguerite Noyes Derk Stavinga Debi Armstrong Tannette & Peter Botbyl Dorothy Churco Robert & Leslie De Jong John Dyk Ralph & Dorothy Faasse Kenneth Hagedorn Wilma Kohere Gordon & Shirley Kuipers Lenora Malefyt Marie Meenen Geraldine Monsma William & Josephine Peters John & Elizabeth Schaaf Donald Thurber Betty Tolsma

DESIGNATED GIFTS

Edwin Sweetman Emma Sweetman Eleanor Ten Kate Emily Batluck-Auld Arlene & Leonard De Block George & Nelva Martin Ronald & Nancy Sietsma Henrietta Vander Plaat Alfred & Nancy Lindemulder Doris Ver Hage Richard & Lynn Ver Hage Adrian “Bud” Visbeen Alyssa & David Johnston Kenneth Vogel Jessie Vogel Allan & Sheri-Lynn Mulcock

Ron & Marilyn Stonehouse 50th Wedding Anniversary Stanley Blom George & Carol Bosma Eunice Broersma Jane de Waal Malefyt Janice Hazen Ruth Ann Knyfd Ronald & Rita Popjes Samuel & Marion Sybesma William & Ann Sytsma Peter & Judith Van Grouw

Garret & Raeanna Dykhouse 65th Wedding Anniversary David & Barbara Dykhouse Thomas & Linda Dykhouse Annamae Hulsebos Allan & Sheri-Lynn Mulcock Evelyn Holwerda 80th Birthday Evelyn Crawford

Florence Wiegers Dean & Edna Wiegers

Steven & Beverly Hulsebos 30th Wedding Anniversary Annamae Hulsebos

Ruth Ann Wynbeek Thomas & Suzana De Block Audrey Van Dyk ELA Financial Group, Inc.

Min Jung “Jenny” Jo Seung Min Jo & Jong Hee Jung

James Youngsman Beth & John Milkamp Jim & Kathy Youngsman

Ruth Latona 70th Birthday Gerald & Janyce Bandstra George & Carol Bosma Samuel & Marion Sybesma

John Borst 80th Birthday George & Carol Bosma Samuel & Marion Sybesma John Van Lenten, Jr.

Diane & Anthony Monterisi Wedding Anniversary Florence Popjes

John Drukker 80th Birthday William & Charlene Cook John & Kay Drukker

Harry Vriesema Evelyn Crawford Beth & Nick Karanicola

In Honor of

Daniel Minkema 85th Birthday Herbert & Jean Soodsma

George & Carol Bosma 50th Wedding Anniversary Stanley Blom Jane de Waal Malefyt Ruth Ann Knyfd Ronald & Rita Popjes Ronald & Marilyn Stonehouse Samuel & Marion Sybesma William & Ann Sytsma Peter & Judith Van Grouw

Sam & Marion Sybesma 50th Wedding Anniversary Stanley Blom George & Carol Bosma Jane de Waal Malefyt William & Ann Sytsma Ruth Ann Knyfd Ronald & Rita Popjes Ronald & Marilyn Stonehouse Endowment Direct Gifts Henry & Lois Schuurman Estate of Marinus Ten Hoeve PSE & G, Inc. Steelcase, Inc. * Scholarship Fund + Athletic Boosters ^ NH Beversluis Media Ctr

Josephine Lentini Filomena Marino William & Jessie Martin 60th Wedding Anniversary Lois & Paul Lyman Anthony & Janyce Van Grouw

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NOTE: Please mail all gifts to the attention of the Foundation Office, ECSA, 50 Oakwood Ave, North Haledon, NJ 07508-2449, or make your gift online at EasternChristian.org.

Gifts to Eastern Christian are eligible for many company matching gift programs and matching gift requests sent with your gift are appreciated. Donors receive acknowledgement for all memorial and honor gifts and any gift of $250.00 or more. Memorial and honor gifts (not the amount) are also acknowledged to the appropriate family or honoree.

Endowment Fund Update The Eastern Christian School Association Endowment Fund continues to grow annually from contributions and market appreciation. As of May 31, 2013 we had a balance of $7,140, 267 in the Endowment Fund, which represents an increase of $340,000 since the same date in 2012.

We also have Trust/Scholarship Funds invested with the Barnabas Foundation as of May 31, 2013 in the amount of $798,845 which represents an increase of $37,000 since the same date in 2012.

We are grateful for the talents and time of the members of the Endowment Committee who diligently serve to preserve and protect the substantial funds that have been donated to ECSA over the years.

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ECTITLE SPORTS Winter Sports Wrap Ups Senior Athletic Awards Wendy's High School Heisman Award Carly Veenstra

ECHS Athletic Department Varsity Club Award Andrew Fiedler Carly Veenstra

NJSIAA Scholar Athlete Award Julie Van Buiten

Athletic Department Iron Eagle Award Julie Van Buiten Carly Veenstra Andrew Fiedler

Senior Matt Van Grouw

Boys' Basketball: The boys' varsity basketball team ended with a 7-18 record this winter. Senior forward Cleveland McDaniel, named to the All League First Team, led the team in scoring while senior guard Matt Van Grouw led the team in 3-point shooting. In their first win early in the season, Matt scored 26 points and was 5 for 8 from the 3-point line against Manchester.

The team played against Hawthorne Christian in the “Coaches vs. Cancer Classic,” and raised money for Soles4Souls in a special EC-hosted event against Pequannock.

Passaic County Coaches Association Senior Scholar Athlete Andrew Fiedler Carly Veenstra

New Jersey National Girls and Women in Sports Day Julie Van Buiten

Paterson Old Timers’ Athletic Association Award Carly Veenstra

North Jersey Interscholastic Sportsmanship Award Seth Stadtlander Sarah Bruinooge

Junior Rachel Barrett (left) and senior Carly Veenstra

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Girls' Basketball: Just falling short of a league title with a final record of 21-5, the girl's basketball team played a strong season marked by tough defense and solid shooting, led by guards senior Carly Veenstra and junior Rachel Barrett. Carly built on her All County status, ending with over 1400 points in her career.

The season's success came as a surprise, given that the team lost four players from the year before, including senior All County center Michelle Van Dyke, who graduated in January.

EC SPORTS

Bowling: The bowling team continues to be a place where individual students can improve their game and bond together as teammates in a fun, relaxed environment. There were a number of terrific individual performances this year.

Senior Andrew Fiedler led the team with the highest overall average, scoring a personal best 189.

Sophomore Justin Rozema scored a team-high 208 in one match, throwing five strikes in a row during the game.

Sophomore Justin Rozema

Winter Sports Awards ALL COUNTY First Team Erin Van Lenten (Track) Andrew Fiedler (Track) Carly Veenstra (Basketball)

Second Team Sarah Post (Track) Solana Lewis (Track) Kayla Van Lenten (Track)

Honorable Mention Hee Jin Ree (Bowling) Andrew Fiedler (Bowling) Chandlar West (Track) Lyndsey Smith (Track) Bethany Kuiken (Basketball) Rachel Barrett (Basketball) Matt Van Grouw (Basketball) Cleveland McDaniel (Basketball)

ALL LEAGUE First Team Kayla Van Lenten (Track) Andrew Fiedler (Track) Rachel Barrett (Basketball) Carly Veenstra (Basketball) Cleveland McDaniel (Basketball)

Second Team Sarah Post (Track) Solana Lewis (Track) Bethany Kuiken (Basketball) Abby Kuder (Basketball) Keith Ring (Basketball) Matt Van Grouw (Basketball)

Honorable Mention Seniors Andrew Fiedler and Solana Lewis, freshman Bryan Lineweaver.

Winter Track: Although organized as a club sport at Eastern Christian, the winter track team continued to grow in its second season, with 12 participants (twice the number as last year). The team competed in nine invitationals during the indoor season. Junior Kayla Van Lenten won the State Sectional Meet in the high jump, tying the school's high jump record in the process. Senior Andrew Fiedler earned All County First Team honors, to go along with his All County Honorable Mention in bowling.

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Andrew Fiedler (Bowling) Kelly Tanis (Basketball) Josh Breeman (Basketball)

EC SPORTS

Spring Sports In Review

Junior Nick Steiginga

Boys' Baseball: The baseball team finished with an even record, at 12-12, and saw a lot of improvement over past seasons. One highlight of the season was beating higher seeded Rutherford, 3-2, in a tournament game. In the State Tournament, the team lost their first round game against higher seeded Saint Mary of Rutherford 2-1 in 10 innings. “This season was the most fun I've ever had playing baseball... and we played some of the best baseball in my three years here,” junior Jordan Pellegrino said.

Senior Ashley Manger

Girls' Softball: Finishing the regular season with a strong 15-9 record, the softball team was able to make some noise in the State tournament as well. They won their first round game 10-0 and the second round 5-0. Sophomore Jayna Van Buiten said, “We had one of our best games as a team,” in that game. In the state semi-final game, they lost to higher-seeded Immaculate Conception 1-0. Senior Ashley Manger, named to the All County Second Team, led the team with stellar pitching all season.

Senior Ryan Vander Plaat

Golf: The golf team had one of their strongest seasons ever, finishing with a record of 24-5.

Led by three seniors, Matt Van Grouw, Ryan Vander Plaat, and Kyle Dorsey, the team placed 4th in the Passaic County Tournament.

Matt finished 3rd overall in the tournament.

The team came in 2nd in the NJIC league, losing one close match to Glen Rock 170-177.

Ryan said, “I'm glad the other seniors and I were able to end on a good note. I hope next year's team can continue to build on the success we had this year.”

Junior David Foley

Boys' Lacrosse: In their first ever season, the boys lacrosse team was more concerned with learning the game than winning, but they still managed to put up a 4-7-1 record on the junior varsity level against teams with more experience. Junior Aaron Ball said, “The highlight of the year was the first win of the year [against Hawthorne]. It was outstanding. It has been a great season.”

Sophomore Lyndsey Smith

Senior Cleveland McDaniel

Boys' Track: Based on strong performances from just a small team, the boys' track team placed 2nd in the State Sectional Meet on May 24-25. Senior Andrew Fiedler won the javelin and pole vault, senior Cleveland McDaniel won the high jump and long jump (Cleveland also won the County Meet and State Meet in high jump), and junior Matt PVan A GEck E won 4 4the 400m.

Q F A L L 2 0 1 3

Girls' Track: Injuries and poor weather hurt the girls' track team this year, but they still managed to place 3rd in the State Sectional Meet and win the NJIC Carpenter Division championship. Sophomore Lyndsey Smith was a first time runner with some amazing results, placing 2nd at the State Sectional in the 100m and 200m sprints, and 3rd in the 400m.

She also participated on the winning 4 x 100m team, running along with senior Chandlar West, sophomore Emily Maura, and senior Sarah Post.

EC SPORTS

Spring Athletic Awards ALL COUNTY First Team

Honorable Mention

Matt Van Grouw (Golf) Cleveland McDaniel (Track) Lyndsey Smith (Track)

Ryan Vander Plaat (Golf) Kyle Dorsey (Golf) Jenna Struyk (Softball) Bethany Kuiken (Softball) Marcus Picciotto (Baseball) Nick Steiginga (Baseball) James Choi (Tennis) Kyle Dykstra (Tennis) Andrew Fiedler (Track) Kyle Coan (Track) Blair Bohuny (Track) Chandlar West (Track Kathryn Post (Track)

Second Team

Senior Ethan Ruitenberg

Boys' Tennis: The tennis team had a true rebuilding year, with either new players or returning players at new positions. Although they did not win any team matches, many individual improvements and milestones were reached. Senior Ethan Ruitenberg led the team at the First Singles position and was named to the All County Second Team. Coach Adam Culp said, “Ethan has been amazing and I wouldn't want to have anyone else to lead this season.”

Connor Milkamp (Golf) Ashley Manger (Softball) Ethan Ruitenberg (Tennis) Matt Van Eck (Track) Sarah Post (Track) Erin Van Lenten (Track)

ALL LEAGUE First Team Matt Van Grouw (Golf) Connor Milkamp (Golf) Ashley Manger (Softball) Cleveland McDaniel (Track) Matt Van Eck (Track) Andrew Fiedler (Track) Blair Bohuny (Track) Sarah Post (Track)

Second Team Ryan Vander Plaat (Golf) Kyle Dorsey (Golf) Jenna Struyk (Softball) Carly Veenstra (Softball) Anita Karr(Softball) Marcus Picciotto (Baseball) Ethan Ruitenberg (Tennis) Chandlar West (Track)

Honorable Mention

The girls team huddles up.

Girls' Lacrosse: The girls' lacrosse team, playing for the first time ever in EC history, was excited to pick up the program's first win midseason against Peddie School. They ended with a record of 1-11-1, but were happy with the progress they made and the number of goals they were able to score. “Most of us didn't know the sport, but we a fun time learning the way the game was played.

The team can only go up from here,” junior Sarah Mulcock said.

James Choi (Tennis) Bethany Kuiken(Softball) Nick Steiginga (Baseball) Lyndsey Smith (Track) Erin Van Lenten (Track) Kathryn Post (Track) Solana Lewis (Track)

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Eastern Christian’s Mission: To provide an excellent academic education within the context of a Christian world and life view, in a culturally diverse and caring environment for the children of Christian families.

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